Israel offers Hamas banned goods for Shalit

Salah al-Bardawil, a Hamas member of the Palestinian parliament, told the Ma’an News Agency that Israel had agreed to allow into Gaza 75 percent of the goods it currently bans. Israel says the other 25 percent can be used to make weapons.

Bardawil said Hamas would be ready for a prisoner exchange with Israel as early as Thursday. He also said that Hamas would agree to stop firing rockets at Israel as part of a cease-fire agreement.

"We have no objection to a cease-fire in exchange for lifting the siege and opening crossing points," he said. "We don’t oppose addressing the Shalit case in tandem with cease-fire negotiations, but we asked for explanations about the nature of the material Israel won’t let in."